Gaming machines, especially those which are utilized to present wagering type games, have a wide variety of configurations. Currently, such machines are custom configured depending on the particular game or games which the machine is intended to present. For example, the machine may be configured to present a video-type wagering game, such as video poker. In that case, the machine will include a video display. The machine may be configured to present a game of slots and an associated bonus game. In that instance, the gaming machine may include a set of rotatable wheels along with a video display for displaying bonus game information.
In order to accommodate the various differing components for presenting these different games, the gaming machines for presenting those games are custom configured for mounting and containing the components.
In addition, it is generally desirable for gaming machines presenting different games to have different appearances. The difference in appearance is useful in aiding player in identifying particular machines. For example, by providing a gaming machine with a particular appearance, one company may distinguish their machines from another company's machines, enabling players to locate those machines.
Unfortunately, there is substantial cost associated with the development of a gaming machine. Significant resources must be expended to engineer the specific gaming machine configuration. Further, custom tooling and parts may need to be created to manufacture the machine. These and other factors increase the cost of producing gaming machines.
One problem with this prior art configuration is that a gaming machine is obsolete once the game it presents is not longer popular. A particular game may have a short popularity cycle or its popularity may drop very quickly after the game has been introduced. Because the gaming machines are custom-configured, however, once the game is not popular, the gaming machine is obsolete and is generally simply removed from the casino floor. Another completely new and custom configured-gaming machine that presents a different game is then introduced. However, this complete replacement of gaming machines is very expensive.
As one attempt to reduce the costs of manufacture and make gaming machines more versatile, the inventor herein invented a gaming machine which may be configured as either a reel-type gaming machine or a video-type gaming machine, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,087. Other solutions to the above-stated problems have included creating generic gaming machines that are “server-based” and can thus present different games downloaded from the server. This solution, however, has the drawback that the gaming machine itself is generally generically configured and is not customized relative to a particular game and thus lacks substantial visual appeal. Also, because the gaming machine lacks any specific external configuration, players can not use the configuration of the gaming machine to readily identify or associate the gaming machine with a particular game. The present invention further addresses the above-stated problems and drawbacks.